We have a robust gourd vine that is putting out a nice sized dipper
gourd. There is one additional smaller gourd starting. Two more
small ones also. In order to encourage really large gourds, would it be
better to trim off the smaller gourds, or does it make any difference
as to how large they'll grow?
Thanks

" wrote in
oups.com:

We have a robust gourd vine that is putting out a nice sized dipper
gourd. There is one additional smaller gourd starting. Two more
small ones also. In order to encourage really large gourds, would it be
better to trim off the smaller gourds, or does it make any difference
as to how large they'll grow?
Thanks

Disclaimer: I have never tried this.

Someone (father or grandfather, can't remember who) once told me that you
make a lengthwise slit in the vine (and maybe they meant "stem" but I'm
not sure) above the fruit and stuff one end of a piece of cloth through
the slit. Then you get a container of water -- a plastic gallon-sized
milk jug with cap would be good -- and you run the strip of cloth into
the water jug like a wick (I guess you put a hole in the cap and run the
cloth through it) so the fruit has a continual supply of water.

Let me know if it works.

Barring that, try a ton o' horse poo. I have a draft horse and a ton o'
horse poo. Want some?

On 31 Jul 2006 11:30:22 -0700, "
wrote:

We have a robust gourd vine that is putting out a nice sized dipper
gourd. There is one additional smaller gourd starting. Two more
small ones also. In order to encourage really large gourds, would it be
better to trim off the smaller gourds, or does it make any difference
as to how large they'll grow?
Thanks

Gourds are very similar to pumpkins. To grow a prize-sized pumpkin
you want one pumpkin to one vine.

Thanks that sounds like an interesting method. I may try it one year
when I have a few more gourd vines to spare.
As for the horse manure, put it on your garden. We all may be riding
horses again before too long anyway.

FragileWarrior wrote:
" wrote in
oups.com:

We have a robust gourd vine that is putting out a nice sized dipper
gourd. There is one additional smaller gourd starting. Two more
small ones also. In order to encourage really large gourds, would it be
better to trim off the smaller gourds, or does it make any difference
as to how large they'll grow?
Thanks

Disclaimer: I have never tried this.

Someone (father or grandfather, can't remember who) once told me that you
make a lengthwise slit in the vine (and maybe they meant "stem" but I'm
not sure) above the fruit and stuff one end of a piece of cloth through
the slit. Then you get a container of water -- a plastic gallon-sized
milk jug with cap would be good -- and you run the strip of cloth into
the water jug like a wick (I guess you put a hole in the cap and run the
cloth through it) so the fruit has a continual supply of water.

Let me know if it works.

Barring that, try a ton o' horse poo. I have a draft horse and a ton o'
horse poo. Want some?

Thanks, I had a feeling that might be the case with gourds. I am
going to reduce the gourds to two and may reduce to one, as we go
along. Looks like we already have a large gourd on the way, even with
two on the vine.

Phisherman wrote:
On 31 Jul 2006 11:30:22 -0700, "
wrote:

We have a robust gourd vine that is putting out a nice sized dipper
gourd. There is one additional smaller gourd starting. Two more
small ones also. In order to encourage really large gourds, would it be
better to trim off the smaller gourds, or does it make any difference
as to how large they'll grow?
Thanks

Gourds are very similar to pumpkins. To grow a prize-sized pumpkin
you want one pumpkin to one vine.

" wrote in
oups.com:

Thanks that sounds like an interesting method. I may try it one year
when I have a few more gourd vines to spare.
As for the horse manure, put it on your garden. We all may be riding
horses again before too long anyway.

If I put any more horse manure in my garden I'm going to have to shoe it.